Episode 97
Embracing Your Calling as an Actor
Episode 97 - Embracing Your Calling as an Actor
In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast, your host Geoffrey Whitt talks with John Goad, an experienced actor, voice actor, and acting coach. John shares his journey from overcoming severe stage fright in his youth to building a diverse career in theater, film, television, and voice work. He discusses his transition into the faith-based film industry, the importance of networking and continuous training, and offers advice for aspiring actors. John also opens up about his personal life, his calling to return to acting after a hiatus, and his dedication to providing valuable coaching to actors.
Highlights Include:
- Journey into Acting
- Transition to IT and Digital Forensics
- Return to Acting and Faith-Based Films
- Networking and Building Relationship
- The Importance of Training and Talent
- Voice Acting Insights
- Memorable Experiences and Influences
- Advice for Aspiring Actors
Bio:
John Goad is an actor, voice actor, and actor coach with over 35 years experience in theater, film, television, commercials, and audiobooks. He's received training from the likes of Harold Guskin and Tom Todorov, among others. John is now a much sought-after coach for actors himself, being featured at ICFF and other Film Conferences. He focuses his talents solely on the faith based industry currently. Look for him as Bebe in the upcoming feature film ‘Casting Nets’ John lives in Houston, Texas, and is the proud father of eight children. He serves his church as an integral part of their media ministry.
Email John: johnegoadjr@gmail.com
Call or Text: 713-578-0897
The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Releasing new episodes every week, we interview experts from varying fields of filmmaking; from screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers, to film scorers, talent agents, and distributors.
It is produced and hosted by Geoffrey Whitt and Jaclyn Whitt , and is brought to you by the Faith & Family Filmmakers Association
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Transcript
to the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.
Geoff:I'm Geoff, and I'm happy to be with you today and to have our special guest, John Goad.
Geoff:John is an actor, voice actor, and actor coach with over 35 years experience in theater, film, television, commercials, and audiobooks.
Geoff:He's received training from the likes of Harold Guskin and Tom Todorov, among others.
Geoff:being featured at
Geoff:He focuses his talents solely on the faith based industry currently.
Geoff:Look for him as Bebe in the upcoming feature film John lives in Houston, Texas, and is the proud father of eight children.
Geoff:He serves his church as an integral part of their media ministry.
Geoff:Welcome, John.
John:Hi.
Geoff:Hey, good to see you again.
John:Good seeing you too, brother.
Geoff:John and I spent some time together on the set of Empty Nets.
Geoff:John was part of the cast, of course, and I was a production assistant.
Geoff:I really enjoyed the time there.
Geoff:Not only on set, but of course we, kind of stayed on location in the accommodations that they had there, so got to spend some time together.
John:Yeah, it was nice.
John:It was, good times.
Geoff:Yeah.
Geoff:So John, like to start today by looking at a little bit of your history and how you got started in acting in general.
Geoff:Why don't you tell us a little bit about that?
John:It's actually kind of a funny story.
John:I have not always been, uh, wanting to be in front of people.
John:I'll put it that way in eighth grade.
John:I had to get up in front of my English class and do a book report and I passed out.
John:fainted.
John:I was so nervous about being in front of people.
John:Yeah, literally passed out.
John:I was just a mess on the floor.
John:And, um, when I came to my English teacher was standing over me and suggested that I take some speech and drama courses next year in high school, to get over that stage fright because it was, it was crippling.
John:It was debilitating.
John:I thought that was a good idea because I didn't want to do that again.
John:you know, it was really embarrassing anyway.
John:So, my freshman year in high school, I attended speech and drama classes and found out that I had a wonderful, outlet for this ADD brain.
John:and I just really just so fell in love with it.
John:so I, started in high school.
John:and then after high school.
John:I went into the army, when I got out of the army, I hit the acting thing, full force, just, ran after it.
John:Just, true definition of the word passion.
John:I sacrificed everything for, wanting to be an actor.
John:Now it was, it was all about me though.
John:it was the big head.
John:I had the talent, I had the passion, the drive, I had the skills, et cetera.
John:and I was going to be the next, uh, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, whatever.
John:That was in my head.
John:But then I met Christ and the big head and the big heart had a big conflict.
John:so I put it down for a while, a long while, got myself a quote, unquote, real job doing, it and, uh, digital forensics and things like that.
John:of course, the standard job for most actors is the, uh, waiter in the restaurant.
John:So
Geoff:I'm just curious, was that part of your work or your training in the army or where did that come from?
John:no, the army, I went gung ho, I went to New York and actually, was coached, I guess, by Harold Guskin himself.
John:I read his book, how to stop acting and just, loved it.
John:and I went and sought him out.
John:And then, teachers here in the Houston area, it used to be a big, crowd of, film production here in the Houston area.
John:And it kind of fizzled out.
John:It's interesting.
John:It fizzled out after I put it down.
John:So it, so it didn't break my heart at that point.
John:Now that I'm back into it, it's frustrating.
John:Um, but, I just always had that on my heart, wanted to be an actor.
Geoff:you said you moved into IT and IT forensics.
Geoff:that obviously took some background or some training from somewhere or some point in your life.
John:Um,
Geoff:No
John:too.
John:No, no, that's interesting too.
John:Uh, it sounds so, I hate saying this.
John:I have a, genius IQ.
John:and most things are easily picked up by me.
John:I, went into, uh, customer service at a software company and quickly moved into their, training facility and, got my, MCSE, uh, MCSD.
John:oh my gosh, it's also been 25, 30 years since I've, had my certifications anyway.
John:I did, all the certifications for it, in just a matter of about two years.
Geoff:Wow.
John:and then from there, With that knowledge base, I went into the digital forensics and helped, law firms, uh, produce digital, evidence, if you will.
John:So our process digital evidence, not produce.
John:That's a different thing, huh?
Geoff:Yeah.
Geoff:Okay.
Geoff:So this was a period of time when you were, you had put down acting, and how long did this, stage in your life last?
John:let's see about, 15, 18
John:years, something like that.
John:Yeah.
John:Yeah.
John:But then I got the calling again.
John:my wife passed away in 2008.
John:and actually I'll go back a little bit further, of course, saw facing the giants in 2006.
John:That kind of relit that whole, maybe there is a place then for quality, film in the faith based industry, I guess, uh, that we can, do this.
John:We can do this well.
John:In 2008, my wife passed away and of course I was a mess for a little while.
John:And, I believe that I got the, um, audible, Signal, if you will, that I need to get back into it.
John:and of course then after that, I pursued it kind of halfway because I had my quote unquote real job, you know?
John:Uh, yeah, so it was, it was scary.
John:but then eventually in 2016, it became very clear.
John:I mean, billboards type of stuff and notes on my motorcycle, from nowhere, just telling me that, I need to chase my dreams and.
John:to face fear and all that.
John:So, it was pretty obvious at that point that God wanted me back into it.
John:And of course, then I jumped back in with both feet, just like I did right after the army.
John:just running, just, going.
John:I quit my job and, pursued it 100%,
Geoff:Awesome.
John:I knew that God would take care of me.
John:And he has, he has been, uh, so faithful because I, I gave up, A decent paying job with a steady paycheck to go into the unknown.
John:And, uh, God has absolutely answered.
Geoff:Cool.
Geoff:So, from there, tell us about some of the projects that you started working on.
Geoff:I know.
Geoff:you're an actor coach, and we'll get into that as well, but, what kind of launched your new career, in the faith based arena?
John:well, let's see.
John:figured that one of the best ways to start was to go through something that had some credentials behind it.
John:I joined, the AMTC, the Actors, Models, and Titles for Christ, back when it was still going.
John:so I'm an AMTC graduate.
John:and then that helped me kind of get in front of a few people that were pivotal in advancing my career.
John:some of those have actually probably most of those have fizzled out as far as those relationships, but through those relationships.
John:And through that experience, I have been able to.
John:network and, get myself in front of the right people.
John:and just loving it.
Geoff:That's one of the things, that I have found and I have learned especially in the Kingdom.
Geoff:We find that people that we meet, people that get introduced to us, people that God brings across our path, Um, kind of everything in our lives and our careers depend on it.
Geoff:we depend on each other.
Geoff:And, like you said, even when, a relationship may end or fizzle out over time, the relationships that came as a result of introductions through that one, it's almost impossible to make all the connections, but you know that.
Geoff:one comes from another and one job comes from another.
Geoff:And, the, more you do it just keeps, rippling out.
John:Yeah.
John:of the big things I'd want to tell, most actors is that the networking is one of the most important things you can do.
John:Of course you're building your skillset and you're, developing your talent, I guess, whatever, but your networking is paramount.
John:There's that old saying, you know, it's not what you know, it's who you know.
John:Well, actually it goes even deeper than that.
John:It's not what you know, and it's not who you know, it's who knows you.
Geoff:Mm-Hmm, . Yeah.
Geoff:We've heard that before on this podcast.
John:Oh yeah.
Geoff:It is obviously good advice.
John:absolutely.
John:Develop your skillset.
John:I mean, Trust the doctor with the credentials up on the wall instead of the guy who you know, he's just a shingle outside of his office.
John:Is that, yeah, I'll, I'll cut you open for nothing anyway.
John:So yeah, get your training, and network and don't put too much, uh, there's, there's a lot of people that want to meet so and so right.
John:I know so and so, but, if so and so doesn't really know you, that relationship is completely one sided.
John:so, Go into your networking and your relationships in the way of what can I do for you, instead of what can you do for me?
John:Um, yes, you want to learn from good people.
John:You want to be in the presence of excellence.
John:but we are also here to serve.
John:one of my tenants, I have a little instructional, example, about teamwork.
John:And, that is, really what we need to focus on that we are all supporting actors in someone else's production, whether you're the lead actor or not.
Geoff:In the second half of our interview, Jaclyn will be doing with you, we're going to get into some specifics of your, coaching, maybe some direction, some advice.
Geoff:some of the philosophy behind acting and your approach to acting, but tell us
Geoff:what are your thoughts on training and, um, talent.
Geoff:I mean, to what degree is talent enough?
Geoff:I know what your answer is going to be, that it's not enough,
Geoff:but, um, tell us about that.
John:If you have talent for it, then you need to hone that talent.
John:talent is not enough.
John:talent with training is so much greater.
John:it's exponential.
John:it's not even talent times training.
John:It's talent to the training power, I guess.
John:yes, you need to have talent.
John:There's some things that you should intuitively know as an actor, I guess.
John:but there's psychological blocks that everybody has that we all have to get over.
John:and processes and methods that, really, really help hone in on why you're doing what you're doing instead of just.
John:To do it's kind of like a woodworker, right?
John:I can go out there in my garage and, bring the table saw out and the router and, produce something, something good, it's usable over the last years, et cetera.
John:But if I don't really know how to use the tools in a way that produces something, Stronger, um, deeper, more flair, I guess.
John:it just doesn't, it's not master woodworking.
John:so learning how to use the tools.
John:I don't have a planer.
John:woodworking is actually kind of my hobby.
John:don't have all the tools out there that, I've seen in, you know, this old house.
John:Nor do I necessarily know how to use them.
John:if I got myself a, joiner, I would just kind of look at it for a minute, read the manual and figure it out and, and struggle with it.
John:And, and eventually figure out how to use the planer.
John:But if someone were to show me how to use a planer, I can learn it a thousand times faster, right?
John:There's the ins and outs.
John:And this is why think it's really important to get a coach because yeah, you can figure it out.
John:You can get to a point where your, skills are honed pretty well, but you will learn a whole lot more and a whole lot more quickly with someone teaching you and showing you and then immediately, critiquing your work.
Geoff:Yeah, immediate feedback.
Geoff:And of course, if that's all happening faster, then in the meantime, you can also be working.
Geoff:actually getting hired and getting some jobs as opposed to, the longer process that you say would come from, just trying to figure it out on your
John:Yeah.
John:Don't figure it out on your own.
John:you need training it's just exponential advancement in your skills.
John:You don't know what you don't know until you get shown, I guess.
Geoff:Absolutely that's true in, in any field, but, definitely in this one.
Geoff:and let's talk about it from the aspect of calling, because we are in, the area of the industry, of course, and the people we're talking to, are in the faith-based, film, faith-based or family friendly.
Geoff:But most of us work with faith-based content.
Geoff:and you've already mentioned that.
Geoff:You've felt this aspect a calling in your own life.
John:it kind of goes along the same, lines that, if you feel that God has called you to this, absolutely.
John:Take it seriously and go get training.
John:Um, it sounds like a pitch for me getting more students, but it's really not.
John:I see there are a lot of people that really want to do good work, but don't have the, knowledge base behind it to do the work.
John:I kind of, use a parallel when Moses was given the idea of building the tabernacle.
John:he's never built a tabernacle before, but God said, build me a tabernacle and you know, Moses didn't have this, vision.
John:Oh, okay.
John:Hold on.
John:I'm going to go build you a tent.
John:I'll be right back.
John:Right.
John:No, right after that.
John:I think God saw his heart of a little bit of worry.
John:Like, I don't know how to do that.
John:God said, don't worry.
John:I'm going to send you Bezalel and Oholiab.
John:They are craftsmen that know exactly what to do.
John:You just give them the plans and the download that I've given you, and we'll all work together to create.
John:Now, Moses got the credit for building the tabernacle.
John:I don't know if many people have ever heard of, Bezalel and Oholiab, the point is find people around you who know what they're doing and can teach you or delegate that work to them.
John:So there are filmmakers who have never directed before, never written before.
John:when they write something, then they should find someone who has written and has experience as a screenwriter to critique and give feedback in order to make that project.
Geoff:Mm hmm.
John:Really what God has in plan,
Geoff:Cause we've all seen movies where they didn't do that.
John:Yes.
John:And it's evident.
John:And that's kind of the point.
John:I absolutely believe that, people are called to this, but they just kind of Think they have to do it themselves.
John:And you don't, you
John:don't.
John:God has provided a Bezalel and a Holiab for you.
John:find them.
Geoff:Let's talk for a moment about voice acting.
Geoff:I know it's a big part of what you do.
Geoff:So, tell us about your voice acting and also it fits for you and perhaps it can for others who are actors.
John:Um, well, I, There's so many different, facets to VO.
John:there's movie trailers and, anime and, narration and, what they call industrials reading, medical journals and, you know, things like that.
John:Audiobooks, et cetera, commercials, um, I really do believe it helps the actor in a couple of different ways.
John:I really believe that you really should be an actor or have active training before you start doing voiceover, I'll say that could probably flip flop the two because they both have their different, different benefits, I guess.
John:When I do my VO, it is basically an exercise in cold reading because I'm not going to read necessarily the medical journal, all a hundred pages of it before I start recording.
John:I'm just going to start recording.
John:Right.
Geoff:Sometimes it's faster to edit when you make a mistake than it is to it all perfect and then try and record it.
John:yeah, right.
John:so it's a great exercise for cold reading.
John:but then with something with characterizations or, different voices then you'll have to develop the, character and how to develop the, uh, different nuances of, how a person speaks or what they want, et cetera.
John:So it's a, I guess a give and take as far as which should come first.
John:if you want to do VO, take some acting classes.
John:If you want to be an actor, do VO.
John:that?
Geoff:If you're doing an audiobook, especially if it's a novel, but even if you're narrating or doing a nonfiction, there is a character.
Geoff:even if it's, the character that you, are portraying as the narrator, it has to be consistent, from one day to the next.
Geoff:and if you are doing a novel or something where there are literally characters, then there has to be acting involved.
John:Oh, yes, absolutely.
John:I just got done recording, done.
John:It took me almost two years.
John:I, recorded, The Last Good King for, David Hyde.
John:he had written a screenplay and, then sent it off to be turned into a novel.
John:And then I recorded that book.
John:And of course, there's the narrator.
John:Um, think we've actually talked about this that there's a, rhythm and a, and a style that you probably don't get into until, you know, chapter three, and then you got to go back and rerecord chapters one, two, and three again, because now you found who the narrator is and their style and their pace and all that kind of stuff.
John:But yeah, the narrator is a different character as well.
John:And, there were, I really don't remember, but in the twenties, uh, different characters in this, book, mostly male.
John:So I recorded all the male parts, 15 to 17 different male parts, with British and Scottish accents.
John:So I had to create a character, based on what I thought their personality was like and their size and, you know, what they look like the whole deal, right.
John:I had to create this thing in my head.
John:And, uh, yeah, I recorded, upwards of 20 distinct.
John:Different people.
John:and so, yeah, that's where I kind of leaned in on my, uh, my acting past, creating, characters and becoming each one.
John:I recorded each one separately.
John:So I just basically went through the book as one character and then went back again through the book as the second character and then back through the book again as the third character, et cetera.
John:and then I, shopped out the female voices.
John:it was a big undertaking and then piecing it all back together.
John:it was pretty interesting.
John:And yes, I would do it again.
John:David asked me, so after all that, would you do that again?
John:I was like, absolutely.
John:That was so much fun.
John:It really was.
John:It was work.
John:but it was a lot
John:of fun.
Geoff:sounds like an intricate project.
Geoff:So does most of your VO work, tend to be audiobooks, or are there other aspects of voiceover that you work on?
John:no, that audiobook is the only audio book I've done now.
John:but I've got a few people that are interested me doing their audio books and that's great.
John:I'm going to jump on that.
John:but, trailers, um, in movie narrator type of thing.
Geoff:Okay, yeah.
John:I always, encourage people to use me as a narrator, even if they don't have me a part in their table reads.
Geoff:Right.
Geoff:that's how you best know Jaclyn, of course.
Geoff:You've been in her table reads.
John:that's great.
John:I love narrating, again, it's, a lesson in cold read.
John:years ago when Bob Hope died, uh, way back in
John:93, I think it was a long time ago, it was over 30 years ago.
John:anyway, when Bob Hope died, they did a, presentation here at the Houston museum, just honoring his life and, I sat at a table with.
John:I don't know if you've ever heard of this guy, uh, Charlton Heston.
Geoff:Yes.
John:I sat at a table with Charlton Heston a booth and, we did a, probably, I think it was an hour of finished recording, but I spent about three hours in the booth with the guy,
John:learned a lot from him about voiceover, acting, the whole business, the whole deal.
John:Again, this was before I was a Christian.
John:but, I really had a good experience when I first started, doing, VO, it was a treat.
John:Absolutely.
John:I mean, I was on cloud nine walking into the studio, I should say.
John:and I had a better appreciation for what actors generally do.
John:And they're just normal people.
John:Uh, Charles was, great and courteous kind and gentle and, just a wonderful person to be around.
John:And, it was just a great experience and, maybe fall in love even more with the whole acting thing and the whole voiceover thing, et
John:cetera.
John:So,
Geoff:Yeah.
Geoff:Certainly known for his voice.
John:yeah.
Geoff:So, I just want to ask before we move on and finish up this half of our interview, are there any final that you would like to pass on to actors who may be listening?
John:I guess my take on the whole thing, again, I want to kind of go back to approach all your relationships.
John:What can I do for you?
John:Instead of what can you do for me?
John:This business is full of people who are still looking for their own glory.
John:even though we have a calling, the whole acting thing can tend to get people puffed up about themselves.
John:so watch the big head, focus on the big heart first.
John:do God's work for God and not for you.
John:and also I guess it doesn't always have to be God glorifying work, but do God honoring work.
Geoff:Right.
John:Okay.
John:so you don't necessarily have to focus on always being in a faith based film.
John:commercials pay really well and I'll go sell toothpaste if it doesn't compromise my principles.
John:Right.
John:Um, And I guess then that kind of leads into pray about everything.
John:Every time a job comes across my desk, as far as whether I should audition or not, I pray about it first.
John:and not for, anything for me, honestly, God, do you want me to do this?
John:And, I kind of go over the whole, Hey God, please, You know, get me this job that doesn't even enter it into it anymore, because I found that the purpose that I'm on set is not always probably 99.
John:99999 percent of the time.
John:It's not me.
John:not something for me.
John:It's for someone else.
John:Um, yes, I'm supposed to learn from things.
John:I take all of my failures and all of my non accomplishments, I guess, uh, I don't call them failures.
John:I really hate the word rejection, by the way, in this business.
John:Anyway, um, my non accomplishments or what I thought I was going to get out of it as what am I supposed to learn from this and how am I supposed to use that to equip someone else later?
John:Again, it's not focused on me.
John:I really do believe, you know, we're called to be disciples.
John:yes, we're supposed to be Christians, making Christians.
John:kind of bring that into the film industry as a, disciple is someone who learns and making a disciple is someone who teaches.
John:So we should always be.
John:Learning, reaching forward.
John:And we should always be teaching, reaching back.
John:so get into the habit of giving something to someone else.
John:and quit focusing on what it's going to do for you.
Geoff:Good advice.
Geoff:Before we go, tell people how they can find you.
Geoff:People who may be listening that would like to utilize your services as a coach.
Geoff:would they go about doing that?
John:Uh, so so at the time of this recording, my, rates are 60 an hour, for coaching, private coaching, or.
John:I sell five hour blocks for 2.
John:50 and then 10 hour blocks for 4.
John:50.
John:So, it actually decreases they could be used at any time.
John:they can contact me directly.
John:Uh, I'm sure you'll have my information.
John:okay.
John:my email address or my phone number.
John:call me or text me directly.
John:or, email me directly.
John:I do, virtual zoom meetings, with training.
John:I live in Houston.
John:and I told you earlier that the film scene here is just kind of bleak.
John:I do most of my training online.
John:or I also teach at ICFF content media conference.
John:I'm hoping to, teach at some other conferences as well.
John:but yeah, you can contact me directly.
John:I'm totally up for it.
Geoff:that stuff in the show notes.
Geoff:So, if, you want to contact John, make sure you take a look at the show notes and find his contact information.
Geoff:John, it's been great talking to you.
Geoff:Good to see you again.
Geoff:And, Jaclyn's going to step in for part two of this interview.
Geoff:And we'll all be looking forward to hearing what you've got to say to actors.
John:Thank you, Geoff.
John:was a pleasure.
